A history of Altrincham and Bowdon, with an account of the Barony and house of Dunham . theBowdon line—Lloyds Hospital—Introduction of coal gas intoAltrincham—Formation of the Gas Company; negotiations for thepurchase of the works and their results—Altrincham and BowdonLiterary Institution; the Altrincham and Bowdon Local Boards—Concluding remarks. TThIS chapter, as it brings us down to the presentijjjjf*3 time, may be appropriately opened with a sketchof Altrincham and Bowdon half a century ago. The readerwill therefore take a walk with us in imagination, whilesome of their peculiarities are
A history of Altrincham and Bowdon, with an account of the Barony and house of Dunham . theBowdon line—Lloyds Hospital—Introduction of coal gas intoAltrincham—Formation of the Gas Company; negotiations for thepurchase of the works and their results—Altrincham and BowdonLiterary Institution; the Altrincham and Bowdon Local Boards—Concluding remarks. TThIS chapter, as it brings us down to the presentijjjjf*3 time, may be appropriately opened with a sketchof Altrincham and Bowdon half a century ago. The readerwill therefore take a walk with us in imagination, whilesome of their peculiarities are described. Meeting, say,in the old Market Place, we find that it is called the MarketPlace still, though most of its landmarks have the centre formerly stood a small public, known toposterity aa the Roundabout House; and almost under itsshadow were the old lockups, or dungeon, through thebarred windows of which the prisoners confined thereincould be seen. These unfortunates were objects of greatcuriosity to the children, who, with bated breath and in **J J*n. fl .r History of Altrincham and Bow don. if>i timid mien, peered in at them on their way to school;while to their intimate friends they were the objects ofmuch tender solicitude, as they frequently received, throughthe medium of pipes and straws, surreptitious supplies ofbeverages, which were supposed to lighten the gloom oftheir prison house, and raise their spirits for the hour oftrial. Those more favoured by wealth and position, whomight by mischance come within the clutches of the localDogberry, could, by the judicious bestowal of a small sum,avail themselves of the privileges of the star chamber,which was an upstairs room in an adjacent public-house,and where they could have the creature comforts theyrequired. Usually, the zealous constable removed theclothes of the prisoners while confined in the starchamber; but they in some cases have been known toeffect their escape in the garb which na
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookidhistoryofalt, bookyear1879
